SPELLING/HOMOPHONES/COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS drive English teachers crazy. Use the correct spelling of words, use spell checker carefully, and use the words in the correct way. Spelling should not be an issue in high school. Begging is not beginning!
Homophones are words like their/there/they’re
CAPITALIZATION. Capitals are needed at the beginning of every sentence, for proper nouns and proper adjectives (Florida, The Sunshine State) and for titles and names (President Obama).
END MARKS. . ! ? that is it, just three of them! Make sure you end your sentence with a period. Or an exclamation point! Or a question mark?
QUOTATION MARKS are used around dialogue and when citing sources. Example: “Watch where you’re going!” yelled Tom. Hint: Punctuation goes before quotation marks, like “p” goes before “q” in the alphabet when people speak.
The opposite is true when citing a source. “ Ralph looked up to see Jack’s angry stare” (Golding, p. 43).
SET 2 – COMMA USAGE
Put COMMAS around PARENTHETICAL, or not necessarily important information in a sentence. The commas act like a set of parentheses. Example: Mr. Richmond, the head of the English department, loves to read.
Use a COMMA to set a dependent INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE apart from the rest of the sentence. Example: While reading The Kite Runner, Ms. Halsey decided that she would never visitAfghanistan.
Use a COMMA to set apart two INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined by a CONJUNCTION. Example: She served them tea, but they all hated honey.
Conjunctions include: and, but, for, or, neither, nor, yet, so.
Use COMMAS to set off NOUNS OF DIRECT ADDRESS and INTERJECTIONS. Example: Forgive us, Mr. Marelli, we can’t write another persuasive essay. Oh, I forgot! Rats, I have to write an essay for Halsey.
SET 3 – SERIES AND AGREEMENTS
Use a COMMA to separate three or more similar items in a SERIES. Put a comma after every term in the series. Example: The French flag is red, white, and blue. She bought a purple skirt, an imported silk dress, and a designer handbag. Last comma is optional.
If the SUBJECT of the sentence is singular, then the VERB is also singular. Likewise, if the subject of the sentence is plural, then the verb is also plural. EXAMPLE: Tim tutors students who need help. Katie, Cara and Heather tutor students. (Hint: each, either, everyone, everybody, neither, nobody, and someone all take singular verbs.)
RELATIVE PRONOUN AGREEMENT.
Who always refers to a person. Example: This is the girl who broke my heart.
That usually refers to an object. Example: This is the baseball that broke my window. When referring to people “that” is less eloquent than “which.”
Which is usually used in comparisons. Example: I don’t know which pen to use today.
Which and That introduce relative, dependent clauses. Example: The book, which is on the table, is overdue. (The relative clause “which is on the table” is extra, incidental information – the point of the sentence is that the book is overdue.) The book that is on the table is overdue. (The dependent clause “that is on the table” is necessary because it identifies the exact book being discussed.)
At the end of sentences these clauses are not separated by a comma. As introductory clauses, they are separated by a comma.
PRONOUN – ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT. The pronoun used in a sentence must match up to the noun it replaces. Example: The doctor finished her rounds. The doctors finished their rounds. In this classroom, everyone performs to his or her ability. When someone has been drinking, he or she is more likely to speed.
SET 4 – SPECIAL PUNCTUATION RULES
Do not join two independent clauses with a comma; use a SEMI-COLON. Example: It is nearlyhalf past five; we cannot reach town by dark.
Use aCOLONafter an independent clause to introduce a list. Example: A dedicated student requires three tools: time management, responsibility, and a work ethic.
Use a DASH to set off an abrupt break or interruption. Example: His first thought on getting out of bed – if he had any thought at all – was to get back in. Much like Rule 5, parentheticals
APOSTROPHES are used to form possessives and contractions.
Form the possessive singular by adding ‘s. This is true even if the word already ends in the letter s. Example. He is Charles’s friend. Possessive pronouns (his, hers, its, theirs) never use an apostrophe.
Contractions are joined with an apostrophe. The apostrophe goes where the letter is missing from the two words that joined together to make the contraction. Example: They are = They’re. It is = It’s
SET 5 – STYLE
Use ACTIVE voice, not passive. In other words, your subject should do the action, not have it done to the subject. Example: I will always remember my first trip to the city. (Active voice). My first trip to the city will always be remembered by me. (passive voice). My first trip toBostonwill always be a fond memory for me. (passive voice). The doctor gave her an injection of medicine. (active voice). The injection of medicine was given to her by the doctor. (passive voice). Passive Voice is a STYLE.
Omit needless words. Good writing is CONCISE. Use powerful verbs instead of weak verb-adverb combinations. Example: “It’s alive and heading this way!” Barbara said loudly. (weak verb-adverb combination). “It’s alive and heading this way!” Barbara shrieked. (strong verb)
Use only one consistent TENSE, either past tense or present, for formal writing. Literary Analysis is often more easily accomplished in present tense as your relationship with the text is often considered present. Writing stories are easier in the past, much like you tell a story to a friend; it has already happened.
A FRAGMENT (dependent clause) cannot stand alone as an independent sentence. Unless you are trying to achieve a specific stylistic effect, avoid fragments. Example: I met them on the football field. No helmets on them.
TOP 20
HIT LIST FOR SUCCESS
SET 1 – BASIC EDITING
- SPELLING/HOMOPHONES/COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS drive English teachers crazy. Use the correct spelling of words, use spell checker carefully, and use the words in the correct way. Spelling should not be an issue in high school. Begging is not beginning!
Homophones are words like their/there/they’re- CAPITALIZATION. Capitals are needed at the beginning of every sentence, for proper nouns and proper adjectives (Florida, The Sunshine State) and for titles and names (President Obama).
- END MARKS. . ! ? that is it, just three of them! Make sure you end your sentence with a period. Or an exclamation point! Or a question mark?
- QUOTATION MARKS are used around dialogue and when citing sources. Example: “Watch where you’re going!” yelled Tom. Hint: Punctuation goes before quotation marks, like “p” goes before “q” in the alphabet when people speak.
The opposite is true when citing a source. “ Ralph looked up to see Jack’s angry stare” (Golding, p. 43).SET 2 – COMMA USAGE
- Put COMMAS around PARENTHETICAL, or not necessarily important information in a sentence. The commas act like a set of parentheses. Example: Mr. Richmond, the head of the English department, loves to read.
- Use a COMMA to set a dependent INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE apart from the rest of the sentence. Example: While reading The Kite Runner, Ms. Halsey decided that she would never visitAfghanistan.
- Use a COMMA to set apart two INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined by a CONJUNCTION. Example: She served them tea, but they all hated honey.
Conjunctions include: and, but, for, or, neither, nor, yet, so.SET 3 – SERIES AND AGREEMENTS
- Who always refers to a person. Example: This is the girl who broke my heart.
- That usually refers to an object. Example: This is the baseball that broke my window. When referring to people “that” is less eloquent than “which.”
- Which is usually used in comparisons. Example: I don’t know which pen to use today.
- Which and That introduce relative, dependent clauses. Example: The book, which is on the table, is overdue. (The relative clause “which is on the table” is extra, incidental information – the point of the sentence is that the book is overdue.) The book that is on the table is overdue. (The dependent clause “that is on the table” is necessary because it identifies the exact book being discussed.)
At the end of sentences these clauses are not separated by a comma. As introductory clauses, they are separated by a comma.SET 4 – SPECIAL PUNCTUATION RULES
SET 5 – STYLE
- Use ACTIVE voice, not passive. In other words, your subject should do the action, not have it done to the subject. Example: I will always remember my first trip to the city. (Active voice). My first trip to the city will always be remembered by me. (passive voice). My first trip toBostonwill always be a fond memory for me. (passive voice). The doctor gave her an injection of medicine. (active voice). The injection of medicine was given to her by the doctor. (passive voice). Passive Voice is a STYLE.
- Omit needless words. Good writing is CONCISE. Use powerful verbs instead of weak verb-adverb combinations. Example: “It’s alive and heading this way!” Barbara said loudly. (weak verb-adverb combination). “It’s alive and heading this way!” Barbara shrieked. (strong verb)
- Use only one consistent TENSE, either past tense or present, for formal writing. Literary Analysis is often more easily accomplished in present tense as your relationship with the text is often considered present. Writing stories are easier in the past, much like you tell a story to a friend; it has already happened.
- A FRAGMENT (dependent clause) cannot stand alone as an independent sentence. Unless you are trying to achieve a specific stylistic effect, avoid fragments. Example: I met them on the football field. No helmets on them.
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